Saturday, August 28, 2010

Reno, NV

The RV park was filling up with class C and A rigs over the past few days. They all had El Monte RV on the front/back. So, we thought maybe there is a RV show this week-end right in our back yard. We (really only Ruthi as Boots is pretty well tethered to the bathroom at this point.) could tour the various options and get ideas for continuing improvements to our own home.

So, Ruthi went to the El Monte RV web site and read their August Newsletter. Lo and behold “Burning Man” starts next Monday (30 August) outside of Reno, NV. So, just like in a “Malcolm in the Middle” episode, middle America is attending the event with RVs, “Burning Man” does state everyone is welcome and accepted but with all of the comforts of the RV, it might be missing the point.

Friday, August 27, 2010

Reno, NV

Boots is doing fairly well considering its only a little over 48 hours since her surgery. The plumbing seems to work well and giving her much less pain/agony than she had anticipated. But the physical healing of the incisions is giving her the most pain. Two days down and 28 more to go!

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Reno, NV

Boots got up at 3:30 to complete her cleanse prior to surgery. She woke Ruthi at 4:30. Without Karma around it has been much easier to work the details yesterday, today and hopefully tomorrow morning.

After much discussion and changing of minds, we decided to have Boots and her trusty IPod with 59 new classical easy listening songs entertain her while the hospital prep’d her and she waited for her time slot in the OR. We all know that it is a long long wait from putting the IV in and the anesthesiologist asking you to count backwards. So, Ruthi dropped her at the door, right next to Lianne’s Serenity Garden in front of the hospital wing. We mention the location because Boots’ son, John, worked on the construction of the garden. Ruthi continued on home to sleep until the hospital called for her to pick up Boots.

Boots is now home, drugged and basically laying around anticipating the painful recovery that will start after the first 24-48 hours. She is on liquids and pretty much sleeping between pills.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Reno, NV

Safari RV was able to fix our toilet problem and we are back on stable ground so to speak. Returning to the campground, we moved to a pull-through spot with a bit of shade and 50amp to support our air conditioner and microwave in the projected 90-100 degrees for the next few days.

Boots is preparing for her surgery tomorrow morning. We are minutes away from Renown Regional Hospital. So, getting up to get her there by 5:30am shouldn’t be too big of a problem.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Reno, NV

In preparation for Boots' surgery the toilet has been a major focal point. Today, we realized that it is a little too wobbly and is leaking again. The fix we had in Neskowin, OR didn't seem to do the job. We usually have as much work as possible done at Camping World establishments. But there haven't been any close. Not here in Reno either. Our annual appointment we had had scheduled in Vancouver was cancelled due to the rush to Reno.

So, we called Connie of Connie Can here in Reno to solve our problem. She was in our park already and was able to come over and determine that we needed a shop situation to fix our serious problem (of course what other kind are there). So, we just called Safari RV and have an appointment to bring the rig into their shop first thing tomorrow. So, we need to rush around and get prepared to move the rig. Stabilize everything inside and unhook everything outside – joy!

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Reno, NV

Ok, 2 nights of barking, yapping, howling dogs gives proof that show dogs are no better than mutts in their training habits. We have been working very hard on getting Karma to do a single bark of notification and then we check out the event/sighting/whatever and hush her. With intermittent barks from the RV park all night long, we thought we wouldn't get any sleep either night. Karma did very well and only occasionally sounded an alarm - whew!

Friday, August 20, 2010

Reno, NV

There is a dog show here at the Grand Sierra hotel (associated with the RV Park) this week-end. Karma is already meeting some of the contestants. The show dogs are almost all on leashes in the fenced area cause they might jump the 3 foot fence and get dirty - really that's what the owners said. So, our potty runs take longer as Karma needs to smell each pee/poop spot in the enclosure before she could possibly think about making a personal deposit.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Reno, NV

Boots saw our GP and the recommened surgeon (supposedly one of the top 3 in USA for this type of work). Surgery is scheduled for Wednesday (25 August). We'll spend a few days here for the initial recovery and then head up to Quincy, CA (80 miles NorthWest) for the first month of her recovery.

So, good so far!

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Reno, NV

We got here and the temperatures began to rise. Today was the hottest so far at 98 degrees. There is some wind but not enough to relieve the heat. Our air conditioner is going full blast all of the time, even at night. If either of us wakes up cool, we will move to the fans but not likely tonight.

Friday, August 13, 2010

Vancouver, OR

This blog explains the minor medical emergency that changed our plans to tour Oregon’s cities (Portland and Eugene). You might want to pass this explicit explanation. At least we are forwarning you!

Boots had some internal bleeding from hemorrhoids (always a fun topic to discuss). It turned into anemia and they gave her 2 pints of blood and recommended surgery. Since the recovery time for this type of surgery is painful and long (4-8 weeks), we wanted to be near our doctors in Reno and her son in Quincy. Hence the quick trip back to repair the bleeding.

Hemorrhoids tend to bleed with hard bowels or constipation. If you have that a lot or often the bleeding can be excessive. Boots would have bouts of bleeding. You know a couple of days then no problems for weeks/months. Ruthi has very occasionally found some blood on the toilet paper. But Boots has fresh red blood and clots of deep red blood. This is a “good” sign in that it means there isn’t blood inside the stool – a bad bad sign. Fresh looking blood means it is from the anus area not from farther up the colon. This episode continued for days and Boots loss so much blood she was pall and weak – hence the need for blood transfusion. The concern then was will it stop and how is the bleeding prevented in the future - surgery.
As long as we are on the subject of colons. Have YOU had you colonoscopy yet?? I think 50 is the age to have your first preventative look-see. Use the offered drugs so you was “out” and have them film the procedure on VHS/DVD, if you are interested. Preparation is a bit icky in that you have to drink a very awful liquid to cleanse the colon. The procedure is a tiny tiny camera up the colon across and then back down. Depending upon what is discovered, you are advised to have another one 2, 5, 10 years later.

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Elma, WA

Elma seems to be at the edge of the timber industry and the coast. With the decrease in logging, it looks to be a very economically depressed area. Not as bad as we thought Peekskill, NY but a close second. Originally, we thought that it might be a commuter residence for government workers form the capital in Olympia but both the housing options and the traffic out of Olympia doesn’t seem to agree with that idea.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Elma, WA

OPPS, somehow we got the Good SAM directions mangled and when we went back to re-check because of the “DEAD END” sign, the web site directions didn’t have us going down the WRONG Road.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Elma, WA

Finally we are off Highway 101 and moving on to multilane highways that curve less. It was beautiful along the coast but slow, curvy and up/down a lot.

We use MapQuest, the truck’s internal GPS and Good SAM (http://www.goodsamclub.com/DefaultMember.aspx) for directions from site to site. Neither MapQuest nor the truck’s GPS has a way of indicated that we are towing but Good SAM does. So, we compare the routes and they usually match. But if there are differences we give the higher value to Good SAM. Yesterday, Good SAM said to exit earlier and then almost immediately turn left. Exit signs matched the directions and street signs indicated we were doing exactly what Good SAM said. A few yards into the new street this warning sign appeared “DEAD END”. So, what to do – go farther and hope for a turnaround option? Or, do the turn here where there is a little area by a very large propane tank.

Boots was driving, so Ruthi got out to check the surface area for the backing/turning. Looked good and luckily very wide - Boots was able to back into the space and then easily pull forward back to the main road. We need to let them know of the error and how serious it could have been.

After unhooking and setting up camp, we went back to the intersection and followed the road a ways. There were a number of turnaround options further down the road but we had no way of knowing ahead of time.